1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intelligent well pumping and control system which monitors fluid levels typically at wells in remote locations such as hydrocarbon (oil, gas, etc.) wells or at livestock water wells generally at locations where utility power is not available. The present system monitors and analyzes critical equipment safety conditions as well as maintenance and production parameters controlling the fluid pumping process and then provides electrical power to a well pump on demand automatically without requiring an on-site operator.
2. Description of the Invention
Fluid production at remote wells has long been problematic in the livestock industry (water wells) and hydrocarbon production industry (e.g. oil wells). The problems with remote wells include typically low production rates of pumping systems on deep wells, high failure rates of pumps and other components, high maintenance costs, and access challenges of typical wells. In order to address these problems, many within the livestock industry, for example, have resorted to solar powered wells, windmills, or point of use generators which require repeated trips to the remote well site to fuel and start the generator to maintain the pump to provide the water required to meet the production needs, based generally on livestock demand.
While solar power has been applied to wells supplying water for the livestock industry, solar powered pumping systems suffer from low flow rates on deep wells when compared to the flow rates of a standard deep well pump supported by AC electrical power. Solar energy production is also limited to location since it is dependent on exposure to sunlight, with fluid production capabilities decreasing or ceasing in extended periods of low or no sunlight. In some cases, the production rate of a solar production system is the primary limiting factor restricting a property from realizing its full potential, e.g. a livestock property having enough acreage to feed more livestock, but being limited in the number of livestock because of adequate, reliable water production. Additionally, solar production systems often do not utilize level control and result in pumped water that exceeds the capacity of the onsite water storage vessel to spill out of the vessel and be wasted.
Windmills have also been used at remote well sites, but are typically very wasteful when producing water. Conventional well windmills have wind driven shafts that mechanically actuate the pumping mechanism. Unless turned off by an operator, windmills pump as long as wind is present. Similar to excess sunlight with solar wells, excess wind can cause spillage of pumped water and generally results in overflowing water spilling out onto the ground, wasting the water and the operating efforts of the windmill. Windmills also tend to be expensive and difficult to maintain, often presenting risky and hazardous conditions to the technician performing maintenance.
The point of use generator, though typically the least expensive up front, can over the long run be a very expensive approach to water, hydrocarbon, or other fluid production. A generator typically requires an operator make a trip to the site with a container of fuel, fuel the generator, and then start the generator along with the deep well pump in the well. Typically, the operator then leaves the site and does not wait at the site the several hours that it takes the generator to consume the fuel, but leaves the site understanding that when the generator has consumed all of the fuel, it will stop running. Allowing the generator to run out of fuel under an electrical load in this manner is extremely hazardous to both the generator and the deep well pump, often shortening the operating life of each piece. This practice can further lead to expensive repairs or early replacements of either the generator or the well pump. Additionally, similar to solar and windmill powered systems in the livestock industry, allowing the generator to run risks excess produced water spilling onto the ground. While a generator in a hydrocarbon well can include a level switch that turns off the pump when fluid in the tank reaches a certain level, current hydrocarbon generator systems continue to operate the generator, even after the pump has switched off due to a full tank indication, until either the generator runs out of fuel or until an operator turns the generator off.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,744,334 and 1,632,188 and 6,699,019 describe methods and apparatus for the pumping and transfer of ground water to the surface for livestock consumption needs. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,334 generally suffers from a limited water production capability as compared to the present invention. The windmill water pumping inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,632,188 and 6,699,019 suffer in areas of accessibility for maintenance, operational dependability, cost of repairs and water conservation when compared to the present invention.